In general, a display device is a device that displays an image. In recent years, a curved display device, which is bent to have a curved shape in order for a viewer to feel a greater sense of immersion in the image displayed on the screen, has been disclosed.
Such a curved display device is manufactured by attaching a curved-shape-holding member, which is capable of maintaining a curved shape, to a display panel, or by introducing a display panel into a curved case, in order to keep the display panel bent in a curved shape.
Meanwhile, since a general display panel, used for the manufacture of a curved display device, may be easily broken when it is bent, it is necessary for the display panel to be manufactured to a minimum thickness.
A method of manufacturing a display panel for the manufacture of a curved display device is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2015-0083448 entitled “METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CURVED DISPLAY”.
In the disclosed method for the manufacture of a curved display device, both surfaces of a display panel are etched using an etchant so that the display panel has a small thickness, whereby a curved display that may be easily bent may be manufactured.
Meanwhile, a protrusion, which is not etched, is formed on an edge portion of the etched display panel in order to increase the rigidity of the display panel or to protect a drive circuit when the display panel is bent to have a curved shape. In the case in which the protrusion is initially formed and not etched, however, it is difficult to manufacture a slim curved display panel due to the thickness of the protrusion.
In order to address this problem, in the related art, when etching is performed in order to reduce the thickness of a display panel, the entire display panel including a portion that is to form a protrusion is primarily etched using an etchant so that the thickness thereof is reduced, and thereafter, the display panel excluding the portion that is to form the protrusion is secondarily etched using the etchant so that the thickness thereof is reduced. This may achieve a reduction in the height of the protrusion.
However, the etching method of the related art may increase the defect rate of the manufactured curved display panel due to the penetration of the etchant since the thickness of the display panel is reduced by performing etching twice in order to achieve a reduction in the thickness of the protrusion.
In addition, since only the portion that is to form the protrusion is etched by the etchant during etching, a sealing member disposed adjacent to the protrusion is not changed in thickness, which causes inconvenience in the manufacture of the display panel since it is necessary to reinstall a sealing member having a thickness suited to the reduced thickness of the protrusion.
In addition, although a masking member is provided to prevent the protrusion from being etched, the protrusion may be excessively etched due to the infiltration of the etchant since the masking member has a small thickness, which may cause damage to the protrusion during bending of the display panel.